Below is a statement from Berta Soler, leader of The Ladies in White, a democracy group composed of the mothers, wives, daughters, sisters and other relatives of Cuban political prisoners.

The Ladies in White are recipients of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

“If the U.S. government lifted restrictions or softens them, it will give oxygen to the Cuban government to strengthen its repressive machinery against the people of Cuba and human rights activists.Giving oxygen to the Cuban government would mean that the U.S. is turning its back on the Cuban people. This country is plunged into hunger and need because of a totalitarian government. An improvement of bilateral relations or authorization of trade between the U.S. and Cuba will benefit the Cuban government, not the Cuban people. Self-employed people would not benefit either, because in Cuba there is a state monopoly.With regard to the embargo, the position of the Ladies in White is that it should be strengthened. No oxygen to the Cuban government, no diplomatic overtures, because this will not benefit the people of Cuba. When there was a socialist bloc and the Soviet Union, rather than evolving we regressed. What the Cuban government wants is to buy time to stay in power.”